Chapter 15. Final Preparation

The first 14 chapters of this book cover the technologies, protocols, design concepts, and considerations required to be prepared to pass the CCNA Cloud CLDADM 210-455 exam. While these chapters supply the detailed information, most people need more preparation than a cover-to-cover reading can provide. This chapter details a set of tools and a study plan to help you complete your preparation for the exams.

This short chapter has two main sections. The first section lists the exam preparation tools useful at this point in the study process. The second section lists a suggested study plan now that you have completed all the earlier chapters in this book.

The installation process requires two major steps: installing the software and then activating the exam. The companion website has a recent copy of the Pearson IT Certification Practice Test engine. The practice exam (the database of exam questions) is not on this site.

Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 7

Microsoft .NET Framework 4.0 Client

Pentium-class 1-GHz processor (or equivalent)

512 MB RAM

650 MB disk space plus 50 MB for each downloaded practice exam

Access to the Internet to register and download exam databases

The software installation process is routine as compared with other software installation processes. If you have already installed the Pearson IT Certification Practice Test software from another Pearson product, there is no need for you to reinstall the software. Simply launch the software on your desktop and proceed to activate the practice exam from this book by using the activation code included in the access code card sleeve in the back of the book.

The following steps outline the installation process:

Step 1. Download the exam practice test engine from the companion site.

Step 2. Respond to Windows prompts as with any typical software installation process.

The installation process will give you the option to activate your exam with the activation code supplied on the paper in the cardboard sleeve. This process requires that you establish a Pearson website login. You need this login to activate the exam, so please do register when prompted. If you already have a Pearson website login, there is no need to register again. Just use your existing login.

Step 1. Start the Pearson IT Certification Practice Test software from the Windows Start menu or from your desktop shortcut icon.

Step 2. To activate and download the exam associated with this book, from the My Products or Tools tab, click the Activate Exam button.

Step 3. At the next screen, enter the activation key from the paper inside the cardboard sleeve in the back of the book. Once entered, click the Activate button.

Step 4. The activation process will download the practice exam. Click Next, and then click Finish.

When the activation process completes, the My Products tab should list your new exam. If you do not see the exam, make sure that you have selected the My Products tab on the menu. At this point, the software and practice exam are ready to use. Simply select the exam and click the Open Exam button.

To update a particular exam you have already activated and downloaded, display the Tools tab and click the Update Products button. Updating your exams will ensure that you have the latest changes and updates to the exam data.

If you want to check for updates to the Pearson IT Certification Practice Test engine software, display the Tools tab and click the Update Application button. You can then ensure that you are running the latest version of the software engine.

Because you have purchased the print version of this title, you can purchase the Premium Edition at a deep discount. There is a coupon code in the cardboard sleeve that contains a one-time-use code as well as instructions for where you can purchase the Premium Edition.

To view the Premium Edition product page, go to http://www.ciscopress.com/title/9780134305561.

To reach the Cisco Learning Network, go to https://learningnetwork.cisco.com, or just search for “Cisco Learning Network.” You will need to use the login you created at www.cisco.com. If you don’t have such a login, you can register for free. To register, simply go to www.cisco.com, click Register at the top of the page, and supply the requested information.

Instead of simply reading the tables in the various chapters, this book’s Appendixes B and C give you another review tool. Appendix B lists partially completed versions of many of the tables from the book. You can open Appendix B (available on the companion website) and print the appendix. For review, you can attempt to complete the tables. This exercise can help you focus on the review. It also exercises the memory connectors in your brain; plus it makes you think about the information without as much information, which forces a little more contemplation about the facts.

Appendix C, also a PDF located on the companion website, lists the completed tables to check yourself. You can also just refer to the tables as printed in the book.

The plan uses four steps:

Step 1. Review Key Topics and DIKTA Questions: You can use the table that lists the key topics in each chapter, or just flip the pages looking for key topics as indicated by a Key Topic icon in the margin. Also, reviewing the “Do I Know This Already?” (DIKTA) questions from the beginning of the chapter can be helpful for review.

Step 2. Complete Memory Tables: Open Appendix B and print the entire appendix, or print the tables by major part. Then complete the tables.

Step 3. Define Key Terms: Try to define the terms listed at the end of each chapter to identify areas in which you need more study.

Step 4. Use the Pearson IT Certification Practice Test Engine to Practice: The Pearson IT Certification Practice Test engine can be used to study using a bank of unique exam-realistic questions available only with this book.

If you have decided to use Appendix D, “Study Planner,” to support your learning during the reading of all chapters, you can still benefit from it in your final review. In this case, you can use the “Second Date Completed” column to control the pace of each chapter review and dedicate special attention to the chapters whose “Goal Date” you have missed in your first reading (as signaled by the “First Date Completed” column).

Study mode: Study mode is most useful when you want to use the questions for learning and practicing. In study mode, you can select options like randomizing the order of the questions and answers, automatically viewing answers to the questions as you go, testing on specific topics, and many other options.

Practice exam mode: This mode presents questions in a timed environment, providing you with a more exam-realistic experience. It also restricts your ability to see your score as you progress through the exam and view answers to questions as you are taking the exam. These timed exams not only allow you to study for the actual CCNA Cloud CLDADM 210-455 exam, they help you simulate the time pressure that can occur on the actual exam.

When doing your final preparation, you can use study mode, practice exam mode, or both. However, after you have seen each question a couple of times, you will likely start to remember the questions, and the usefulness of the exam database may go down. So, consider the following options when using the exam engine:

Use this question database for review. Use study mode to study the questions by chapter, just as with the other final review steps listed in this chapter. Plan on getting another exam (possibly from the Premium Edition) if you want to take additional simulated exams.

Save the question database, not using it for review during your review of each book part. Save it until the end, so you will not have seen the questions before. Then, use practice exam mode to simulate the exam.

Picking the correct mode from the exam engine’s user interface is pretty obvious. The following steps show how to move to the screen from which to select study or practice exam mode:

Step 1. Click the My Products tab if you are not already in that screen.

Step 2. Select the exam you wish to use from the list of available exams.

Step 3. Click the Use button.

When you complete these actions, the engine should display a window from which you can choose Study Mode or Practice Exam Mode. When in study mode, you can further choose the book chapters, limiting the questions to those explained in the specified chapters of the book.